News of Interest

Selected news stories of interest to the Freedom Reads community.

Illinois Program’s ‘Wraparound’ Approach Helps Formerly Incarcerated People Land Solar Industry Jobs
Energy News Network by Audrey Henderson October 1, 2024

In addition to job training in the solar field, the Renewing Sovereignty Project (RSP) offers returning citizens substantial financial and social support in a ‘wraparound’ technique.

House of Redemption Gives Formerly Incarcerated a Fresh Start, Equal Opportunities
ABC 6 by Stacia Naquin September 27, 2024

“Home” conveys something very different than “housing." ABC 6 reports on the non-profit organization House of Redemption opening a brand new home for two citizens transitioning from prison back into the community in Ohio.

Nonprofit helping formerly incarcerated individuals in Colorado obtain a CDL
Denver7 by Wayna Reese September 22, 2024

Nonprofit Emerge Career provides vocational training to formerly incarcerated people, including helping people get their CDLs for free.

ALA Issues First Revision to Standards for Incarcerated and Detained Individuals in 32 Years
Library Journal by Lisa Peet and Victoria Van Hyning September 20, 2024

The American Library Association issued revised standards for library services for incarcerated or detained individuals — its first revision in 32 years.

The Power of a Prison Visit
Prison Journalism Project by Ryan Douglas September 18, 2024

Ryan Douglas captures the joyous emotions that a visit with loved ones can bring to currently incarcerated people. As Ryan chats with his parents, he is just a son again; the prison and all of its labels disappear into the background.

The Life of an Elected Official Who’s Also in Jail
Prison Journalism Project by Shameka “Meek” Hayes September 15, 2024

Shameka “Meek” Hayes, a neighborhood commissioner in Washington, D.C., writes about the road to the neighborhood commissioner seat as well as the challenge and the wins of serving her constituents from prison.

Take a Tour of the Beehives in My Oregon Prison
Prison Journalism Project by Phillip Luna September 3, 2024

Writer Phillip Luna, incarcerated inside Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, shares about facilitating the selective beekeeping program at the prison.

The Strange Twist in Coping with My Father’s Death from Behind Bars
Prison Journalism Project by Jeremy Moss August 28, 2024

Jeremy Moss poignantly captures what it is like to lose a loved one during a long incarceration, a loss that is often felt and mourned even prior to a loved one’s actual death–in the sense that incarceration separates people from one another.

A Museum of Formerly Incarcerated People Opens in Germantown
WHYY by Peter Crimmins August 28, 2024

Rev. Michelle Simmons—founder of the nonprofit Why Not Prosper—recently opened the Formerly Incarcerated Renaissance Museum (F.I.R.M.) in Germantown, displaying art and artifacts from formerly incarcerated women transitioning back into society.

Fighting for Beauty Behind Prison Walls
The Cut by Abigail Glasgow August 28, 2024

Five women who are currently incarcerated tell journalist Abigail Glasgow their personal stories about the significance of makeup in prison. A seemingly small thing, makeup means a world of difference to these women: as a way to feel more human, to boost self-esteem, to affirm personal freedoms, and as a way to express their individuality.

'Give them hope': A pickleball program inside a CT prison helps incarcerated people find self-worth
Connecticut Public Radio by Eddy Martinez August 23, 2024

Eddy Martinez writes about the Pickleball for Incarcerated Communities League (PICL), which brings the sport to American prisons. Coach Angelo Rossetti emphasizes the benefits of the sport—beyond athletics, it offers hope to people on the Inside.

Princeton University offers STEM program to formerly incarcerated individuals
WHYY by P. Kenneth Burns August 22, 2024

Princeton University's Prison Teaching Initiative program offers formerly incarcerated individuals academic mentoring and practical training in the STEM areas.